Introducing 'Cranberry Works' | feat. Ocean Minded Water(colour) Art

If you have explored the navbar recently, you might have noticed some changes to the directory from "Cirrus Photography" to "Photography & Projects".

Meet the newest sister project, Cranberry Works.

This is the name of my new online art shop being kickstarted via the online market and print shop, Society6. It features mainly artwork, and may also include some words making cameo appearances from another one of my projects. Products are printed on-demand to avoid waste, and artists of all skill levels from around the world can publish their pieces and put together collections.

I do accept custom orders and commissions for personal use and events and if you are looking for more info please visit the page in the navbar, but one of the main features of the shop will be the Ocean Minded Water(colour) series.

The name 'Ocean Minded' is meant to imply daily mindfulness of how our activities affect life in the water -and by extension, life on land- and being open to making changes in harmony with that.

Here the ones from the series featured so far:

For myself, simply going swimming or looking at animals or images of animals is always a good reminder to take shorter showers, recycle e-waste, and be careful of what I put down the drain, and it is my hope that my personal hobbies can hopefully help others feel good about making adjustments to live more in harmony with nature as well.

Also, I believe that like spending time outside, the process of creating little pieces inspired by nature can help strengthen that bond we have, and I'm not the first to see this. At many environmental conferences in school and festivals a man would often come in to do a sketch, Paint, and Shoot workshop. If you create any nature-related work you'd like to share, please don't feel shy to drop a reference in the comments, it would be lovely to see more projects.

(l~w parallel post under the same date, 20/08/2018)

(Repost) Types of Treehuggers

(A belated*) Happy Earth Day!

In honour of Earth Day, here is an updated repost originally from to Nature-nimbus.blogspot.ca for May 24, 2016, but with the found original doodles to go with it. Each illustration is consciously exaggerated just for kicks so please don't takes offense to what is written here... hope you have fun reading them :) 

The reality is all of these roles have helped raise awareness on environmental needs -that is how they are so recognizable- and a person can combine the traits of any number of them, but the coolest part of sharing this with friends was seeing everyone feel out where their niche is and perhaps even feeling re-inspired to participate in green activities that they enjoy.

Hope you enjoy reading this, and have a lovely Earth Day every day.
~~~

All these characters were drawn on cue cards I cannot find yet, but that can be another post for another time. (2018 Update: Found them, here they are!)

It was a lot cooler when I was sitting at the kitchen table explaining it in a extemporaneous babble to relatives and my dog a little differently each time, but it and went something like this and I hope you find it amusing :)

The Hippie/Flower Child

The classic treehugger stereotypee right out of the 60s who really got environmental movement started. Clad in tye-dye and hemp, and sitting cross-legged in front of trees preaching their message of love, peace, and unity, they are also known for making some lovely tunes to get people in a mood and mindset of unity.

The Rebellious Radical

Sometimes seen as a close younger cousin of the hippie, The Rebellious Radical is loud and grabs attention, and sometimes that might be the exact push people need. Louder the better; think activists chaining themselves to trees maybe with some funky coloured hair. These people make bold statements pointing to the goal of drawing attention and spreading awareness of big issues that really matter.

The Wild Child/Conservationist

It's that kid that's always climbing trees and running around exploring outside with messy hair. They really are in their element/natural habitat outside, probably making mud pies and isn't afraid of getting dirty or touching creepy crawlies. These are the ones who probably know the common, maybe the scientific, and given personal names of backyard wildlife. These friends of the forest, conservation officers, camp counselors, and more have a contagious sense of wonder they are often eager to share with others.

The Humanitarian

The Humanitarian  recognize that people are part of the ecosystem just like other animals, and sincerely care about the wellbeing of fellow humans. Whether they be doctors, aid workers, or concerned citizens, they see how people around the world are affected by environmental issues and are ready to see how can to help. From pollution putting people's health at risk to climate change displacing entire communities, they recognize sustainability as a must, and clean air and water as basic human rights which they will fight for and seek to see as many people as possible having access to.

Engineer/Technician

These are the ones that really make all these advancements work. A lot of what they do is behind-the-scenes, but they use the power of their minds to make it possible to drive new sustainable technologies forward such as in renewable energy. The research they do also gives treehuggers the world over something to actually work with to show the world that what the heart says is the right thing to do also makes logical sense.

Politician/Consultant

"Work The System" is the name of the game here. These guys in the big leagues kind of have to be disguised in big business suits sometimes and they work undercover. Sometimes they develop "green" products, creative marketing to inspire people to take to them, or policies to help change the world. Among politicians and corporates, the suit-wearing or clip-board-yielding ones advocate for the environment in the big leagues using the system to further their agenda, to help the environment on a big scale.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share your thoughts on which treehugger stereotypes you and your friends relate to in the comments, as well as any ideas for green activities people of different types might like participating in!

Originally posted by Melody Tadeo to Nature-nimbus.blogspot.ca for May 24, 2016
Edited April 9, 2018... also finally uploaded the photos!
*Reposted day after Earth Day 2018 because I forgot to pre-schedule on NN in addition to lunar-winds... sorry!

Coral Pink and Peach

Some days I could sink a ship with my navy (blue) mood

Drag it down, such a downer in the dumps

While my coral peach

Feels so out of reach.

---

More water works poetry: http://lunar-winds.blogspot.ca/search/label/water

---

Fact about coral, 'Bleached' white coral does not equal dead coral: http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-great-barrier-reef-not-dead-20161014-snap-story.html

A big fan

I'm very much for renewable energy, but more solar than wind because the side effects of wind turbines are concerning.

You could say I'm not a big fan.

Badum-cha.

Canada Geese (Spoken Word)

The geese at night.

This is my version of tradition.

It has been a hard year like many others, but as I lie in bed and hear the familiar cacauohany of flocks of Canada geese on the lake I feel my heartbeat slow.

This sound is what I call home.

Even if someday I cannot live in this place, I will feel I belong beside the sounds of all the voices of dozens of geese all talking at the same time on their journey to fly away to a more hospitable place.

Canada geese will take my heart with them, where it is safe.

So no matter how harsh the winter, or how much our lake will freeze

They will tow this heavy heart made lighter by warmer currents in the breeze

And by their teamwork;

By the flock leader creating a lift through their wings,

Lifting hearts and let them sing.

They take the colder part of my heart somewhere warmer for the winter without fee.

Beloved Canada geese, with all your loyalty do have a wonderful journey

As you follow the earlier sunshine.

Types of Treehuggers

Here is a little personal project I did a long ago with a few cue cards.

All these characters were drawn on cue cards I cannot find yet, but that can be another post for another time. (Update: Found them, here they are!)

It was a lot cooler when I was sitting at the kitchen table explaining it in a extemporaneous babble to relatives and my dog a little differently each time, but it and went something like this and I hope you find it amusing :)

The Hippie/Flower Child

The classic treehugger stereotypee right out of the 60s who really got environmental movement started. Clad in tye-dye and hemp, and sitting cross-legged in front of trees preaching their message of love, peace, and unity, they are also known for making some lovely tunes to get people in a mood and mindset of unity.

The Rebellious Radical

Sometimes seen as a close younger cousin of the hippie, The Rebellious Radical is loud and grabs attention, and sometimes that might be the exact push people need. Louder the better; think activists chaining themselves to trees maybe with some funky coloured hair. These people make bold statements pointing to the goal of drawing attention and spreading awareness of big issues that really matter.

The Wild Child/Conservationist

It's that kid that's always climbing trees and running around exploring outside with messy hair. They really are in their element/natural habitat outside, probably making mud pies and isn't afraid of getting dirty or touching creepy crawlies. These are the ones who probably know the common, maybe the scientific, and given personal names of backyard wildlife. These friends of the forest, conservation officers, camp counselors, and more have a contagious sense of wonder they are often eager to share with others.

The Humanitarian

The Humanitarian  recognize that people are part of the ecosystem just like other animals, and sincerely care about the wellbeing of fellow humans. Whether they be doctors, aid workers, or concerned citizens, they see how people around the world are affected by environmental issues and are ready to see how can to help. From pollution putting people's health at risk to climate change displacing entire communities, they recognize sustainability as a must, and clean air and water as basic human rights which they will fight for and seek to see as many people as possible having access to.

Engineer/Technician

These are the ones that really make all these advancements work. A lot of what they do is behind-the-scenes, but they use the power of their minds to make it possible to drive new sustainable technologies forward such as in renewable energy. The research they do also gives treehuggers the world over something to actually work with to show the world that what the heart says is the right thing to do also makes logical sense.

Politician/Consultant

"Work The System" is the name of the game here. These guys in the big leagues kind of have to be disguised in big business suits sometimes and they work undercover. Sometimes they develop "green" products, creative marketing to inspire people to take to them, or policies to help change the world. Among politicians and corporates, the suit-wearing or clip-board-yielding ones advocate for the environment in the big leagues using the system to further their agenda, to help the environment on a big scale.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share your thoughts on which treehugger stereotypes you and your friends relate to in the comments, as well as any ideas for green activities people of different types might like participating in!

Edited April 9, 2018... also finally uploaded the photos!

Wind Festival 2015 (Fun Post)

So I have a thing for the wind. Its capricious beauty affects so much physically within an ecosystem, and its unseen and almost spiritual nature is also captivating for those who stop to listen.

In the summer of last year I had the joy of painting kids' faces and working at a skulls and furs booth, as a volunteer at the Kortright Centre for conservation's 2015 Wind Festival. The Kortright Centre is a beautiful raw gem in Southern Ontario that children and their families connect with nature, and nurture respect and love for the environment and our natural heritage.

The wind festival had lots of nature-themed booths and activities for families, and next year I hope to attend as a visitor (and bring my kite!)

Edited 2021-01-12